Relly

I was buying the line 24 snap kits for $10 each, and here is what I learned: You can get bags of 100 snaps relatively cheap. Brass is particularly cheap, but looks really nice. Once you have the snap anvil and setter, setting the snaps by hand is relatively easy with practice. A couple good, solid hits with a light rubber-headed hammer will do the job. Line 24 snaps are for 5-7 ounce leather, which is roughly 2 to 2.75mm thick. If the leather is TOO THICK, the snaps won't form or hold properly. If the leather is TOO THIN, you will deform the snaps trying to get them together. Different snaps are meant for different thicknesses of leather. I use a 1/2-ton hand press (dirt cheap, $40) and the snap die and setter from one of the kits. It's quicker than the hammer and less noisy for my downstairs neighbor You can measure thickness with a pocket caliper like this one: Home Depot Store SKU # 501570 (Needs lubrication, I suggest any except WD-40) Reducing the thickness of leather is called skiving. The Tandy super skiver requires practice to use, but it's $10. A round knife can be used to skive, but it requires a LOT of practice and sharpening skills. (That's where I am at, trying to learn how to use it). I am still new to this hobby, I hope that my tips help you. Relly

Very true. The only benchtop model in my store right now is a Skilsaw brand with horrible reviews! I thought about this idea all day at work, and decided that my idea does work, but it is not for me. Part of what I want from Leather is not the end product, it's the satisfaction of craftsmanship. And doing things by hand, the hard way. Or the skilled way. I need more practice and techniques. The bandsaw is efficient, but it is too much of a power tool. And the Osborne 84-ish splitters are production tools, too. I'm not out to make money or mass produce anything. I want to work with my hands, as much as practical, and speed's not an issue. I was too clever for myself. Forgot what I was about. I have a bag of scraps, most of a good shoulder, and some new ideas. Thank you for the advice!

Thank you!! You know, a decent splitter costs $400 ... that same money buys a very good bandsaw, and the bandsaw will do more. A knife edged blade, eh? And that jig will work. Okay, this project is practical and reasonable. I was rethinking the project and thought about tacking my leather to a wood round, instead. I could rest the round on the fence and "kiss" the blade by rolling the round slightly into the blade, parallel to it ...That would let me control thickness, I'd see my work, and the danger of cutting off too much would be minimal. If I make a mistake, there's less chance of ruining the piece. Bandsaw. Benchtop model ... any recommendations on which one, though? And those knife blades? I was completely ready to spend $200 on the crappy Tandy "pro" splitter, and I work at a Home Improvement retailer so I know what bandsaws cost. DeWalt, Delta? I get great deals on special order merchandise.

I was looking online at the top end skiving machines - they use a knife on a belt. I have seen a similar tool, the humble bandsaw! So, the idea would be to glue a piece of leather flesh side down to a block of wood. Instead of cutting off the "excess", I could skive off the amount that I would like to use. With a fence, and the right blade, and the right speed ... I am not sure that this would not work. If it did work, I can make the bandsaw do double duty as a mold cutting tool and a skiver both. This is my second post, yay!

I have been lurking in the forums and ... it seems like you should rub the excess dye off yourself before sealing. Ah, my first post!